Pilot
"Pilot" is the first episode of GCB. Summary After her marriage ends in scandal, single mother of two Amanda Vaughn returns to live with her socialite mother Gigi Stopper and start over. But Amanda soon realizes her past as the "Queen Bitch" is catching up to her. Ex-ugly duckling Carlene Cockburn is now living a picture-perfect life with a good-looking husband; Cricket Caruth-Reilly , whose boyfriend Amanda stole and later married, is now a powerful business woman with her husband - but the only problem is her husband Blake has a homosexual side; ex-beauty queen Sharon Peacham continues to resent Amanda after the "Queen Bitch" sabotaged her chances of winning the Miss Teen Dallas competition; and outsider Heather Cruz is now the Lone Star State's most successful realtor and the "Gossip Queen" of the social clique. Now Amanda is about to discover that payback can be a real pain. Plot Cleaning out his office, handsome white-collar criminal Bill Vaughn stuffs a bunch of money into a duffel bag as his mistress looks on. It’s clear that Bill is up to no good, and his beautiful wife Amanda Vaughn has no clue about it. As Bill and his lady friend drive along the coast headed to make a run for the border, things get… hot and heavy. Bill is distracted causing him to drive them both off a cliff! We meet widow Amanda Vaughn as she’s being kicked out of her Santa Barbara Mansion by the Feds. Amanda and her two teenagers Laura and Will have got nowhere to go. Amanda’s lawyer suggests she return to Dallas, her mother Gigi lives there right? Amanda vows to never go back to Texas. But Amanda’s name is now mud in Santa Barbara because of Bill’s nefarious actions. With a heavy heart, Amanda calls home… Amanda, Laura and Will arrive in Hillside Park, Dallas’ most exclusive neighborhood. Amanda’s fabulous mother Gigi Stopper steps out of her grand mansion to welcome them, not before her barking Dobermans Tony and Romo rush their car first. Meanwhile, neighbor Carlene Cockburn spies on Amanda from across the street. Over the phone she conspires with the other GCB’s Sharon Peacham, Cricket Caruth-Reilly and Heather Cruz. We learn that the GCB’s went to high school with Amanda, who back then, was a real mean girl. The GCB’s gossip about how Bill Vaughn died in a compromising position. Over at Gigi’s, Amanda and the kids get settled in. Amanda tells Gigi that they are living with mom temporarily and even though she’s never worked, she’s determined to find a job somewhere. Gigi is happy just to pick up the tab and have her daughter and family live with her -- not gonna happen if it’s Amanda’s choice. Laura looks through Amanda’s old yearbook from Hillside High as Gigi explains how awful and cruel Amanda used to be to the GCB’s: Amanda cut Carlene from the cheerleading squad because she had bad skin; Sharon was a knockout in high school and was frontrunner for Miss Teen Dallas until Amanda told the judges she wasn’t a virgin; Amanda spread a rumor that Cricket had herpes just to steal Bill away from her; Heather was the only girl Amanda didn’t torture at Hillside. Later, Will expresses his upset about his father’s sins to his mother. He’s also worried about what they’ll do now to survive. Amanda tells him she took some design courses back in Santa Barbara, she’ll get someone to hire her. Sunday morning, Gigi forces Amanda to go to church. There, she sees her old classmates all grown up, some looking bigger (Sharon) and some smaller/tanner/blonder (Carlene). Carlene stands up from the choir, praying for Amanda. Amanda is shocked to see that the GCB’s even remember her. Of course they do. So does Sharon’s husband Zack who thinks Amanda’s still a 10 to Sharon’s dismay. Cricket’s husband Blake rounds the corner to say hello to his old pal Amanda, not pleasing Cricket one bit. Amanda can feel the hostility from the GCB’s but she’s changed. Clearly, they haven’t… The next morning, Amanda is getting ready to go job interviews when suddenly an expensive German vehicle shows up in the driveway. It’s from a secret admirer. Across the street, Carlene spies via her telescope. She calls Sharon and tells her the gifted car is from Zack’s dealership. Sharon must find out who gave Amanda the car! At Carlene’s request, Heather shows Amanda an awful rental house near the airport. Zack calls Amanda and tells her he has some information about her secret admirer. Amanda gets to the dealership to see what dirt Zack has for her but instead, he kisses her! He tells Amanda that she was the love of his life. Amanda tries to push him off, telling him he’s married. Carlene is leaving the dealership when she spots the two “kissing” and drives off like a bat out of hell. The next morning, Amanda comes downstairs to find Gigi’s given daughter Laura a “Texa-fied” makeover with blonde big hair and cleavage to boot. Amanda’s horror is cut off by the sounds a Neiman Marcus truck, delivering her a slew of designer duds, courtesy of her secret admirer. Talking to Sharon again, Carlene spies on as Amanda tells the delivery guys to take it all back. Later that night, Heather comes over to Gigi’s to show Amanda some more crappy rentals. But Amanda has found some great listings on her own, so what gives? Heather is about to explain when suddenly Carlene, Cricket and Sharon arrive with a giant gift basket, welcoming Amanda to the neighborhood. Things get kind of catty and Amanda kicks everyone out, not before Carlene can “borrow” the Neiman Marcus gift card that was sent over with her balance from the return. She’s determined to find out who gave Amanda the car and gifts… The next day, Sharon is bullied by Carlene into posing as Amanda to find out whom the secret admirer is. At Neiman’s, when asked to show some ID, Sharon bails and jumps into Carlene’s car like a thief. Later at Pilates, Carlene reveals to Cricket that she saw that awful Amanda kissing up on Zack at the dealership. Amanda leaves yet another unsuccessful job interview. Unbeknownst to Amanda, we realize that Cricket has sabotaged every single employment opportunity, leaving her without options. After breaking a high heel in the rain, things couldn’t get worse as Amanda takes shelter in a nearby bar & grill called Boobylicious. After talking to the barely dressed bartender, Amanda realizes she could make a lot of money in a place where it pays to look good in booty shorts. Sign her up… Later, Amanda tells Heather that she can now afford a better rental. She also runs into Blake and his ranch foreman Booth. Amanda is shocked when she sees the two hunks holding hands under the table! Unaware of Amanda’s discovery, Blake invites Amanda to The Longhorn Ball, a long-standing tradition in Dallas. But it’s expensive and Amanda isn’t in the mood to socialize. Blake won’t take no for an answer -- he’ll provide her an outfit from his design house and Booth can be her date! At the Longhorn Ball, Carlene, Cricket and Sharon hound Amanda and confront her with their cell phone displays: Sharon’s son Bozeman took a scandalous picture of Amanda working at Boobylicious -- shame on her. But Amanda fights back, saying that the GCB’s aren’t living up to their own moral code; Sharon did pretend to be Amanda at Neiman’s. Later, Carlene privately tells Amanda she knows about her and Zack, but Amanda’s got nothing to hide. Zack kissed her. Carlene throws one last insult at Amanda, and her kids overhear a way too adult detail about their father’s death as they leave the party. Later at Gigi’s, Amanda looks at the Neiman Marcus card, wondering where it came from. Gigi reveals that she was the one that sent her the car and the gifts. Mother and daughter share a sweet embrace before Gigi goes off to bed. Amanda looks at her first ever paycheck. Paid by The Kitten Corp. That’s when Amanda remembers -- “Kitten” was Carlene’s nickname in high school. Carlene owns Boobylicious! Sunday at church, Amanda decides to give a little prayer, publically thanking Ripp and Carlene for giving her a job at their eatery, humiliating the pious Carlene. Off their shared shock, Amanda – surrounded by her family – exits the church, feeling like she might be able to survive Dallas after all… Reception Trivia Quotes Gallery External Links Category:Season 1 Category:Episodes Category:Season 1 Episodes